III 

118TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 251 

Celebrating the 2023 NATO Summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, and expressing 

priorities related to transatlantic security and the NATO Strategic Concept. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JUNE 14, 2023 

Mrs. SHAHEEN (for herself, Mr. DURBIN, Mr. GRASSLEY, and Mr. TILLIS) 

submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 

on Foreign Relations 

RESOLUTION 

Celebrating the 2023 NATO Summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, 

and expressing priorities related to transatlantic security 

and the NATO Strategic Concept. 

Whereas the United States signed the North Atlantic Treaty, 

done at Washington, DC, April 4, 1949 (commonly 

known as the ‘‘Washington Treaty’’), to provide collective 

security and strengthen security and political cooperation 

with allies of the United States; 

Whereas the United States and its allies recognized that security cooperation was a necessary precursor to enhanced 

political and economic stabilization and engagement; 

Whereas, in 1991, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization 

(commonly known as ‘‘NATO’’ and the ‘‘Alliance’’) 

issued an unclassified Strategic Concept for the first 


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•SRES 251 IS 

time, outlining the basic principles and plans of the Alliance to address security challenges and strategic threats; 

Whereas, in 1994, NATO established the Partnership for 

Peace to enable partner countries to share information 

and modernize and democratize their political and security infrastructure with NATO; 

Whereas, in 1999, NATO established the Membership Action 

Plan to facilitate the accession of aspiring member countries by providing advice, assistance, and support in 

meeting the political and military principles of the Alliance; 

Whereas any country that wishes may pursue NATO membership consistent with the 1995 Study on Enlargement 

and article 10 of the Washington Treaty by— 

(1) pursuing formal accession talks with the Alliance; 

(2) sending a letter of intent to NATO, including a 

timeline for the completion of necessary reforms recommended by the Alliance; 

(3) working with member countries so that accession 

protocols are signed and ratified by such member countries; 

(4) receiving an invitation from the Secretary General of NATO to accede to the Washington Treaty; and 

(5) acceding to the Washington Treaty in accordance with national procedures and by depositing instruments of accession; 

Whereas, following the terrorist attacks on the United States 

on September 11, 2001, NATO invoked article 5 of the 

Washington Treaty for the first time, calling on the Alliance to provide for collective defense; 


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•SRES 251 IS 

Whereas Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia, which were among 

the first Eastern European nations to declare independence from the Soviet Union, formally joined NATO in 

2004 and have provided notable support for NATO operations, including— 

(1) operations in Iraq and Afghanistan; 

(2) operations that have been enhanced in response 

to increased threats; and 

(3) operations in response to the invasion of Ukraine 

by the Russian Federation in February 2022; 

Whereas, in 2006, the Alliance agreed that each member 

country would commit at least 2 percent of their Gross 

Domestic Product to defense spending to ensure sustained readiness; 

Whereas the Alliance consists of 31 independent member 

countries, including Albania, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, 

Croatia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, 

France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Montenegro, Netherlands, 

North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, 

Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Tu ̈rkiye, the United Kingdom, 

and the United States; 

Whereas, in response to the unprovoked and illegal war on 

Ukraine by the Russian Federation, Finland and Sweden 

applied for NATO membership in May 2022; 

Whereas, during the 2022 NATO Summit in Madrid, Spain, 

NATO formally extended an invitation to Finland and 

Sweden to join the Alliance; 

Whereas Finland formally ascended to the Alliance on April 

4, 2023, as the most recent country to join NATO; 


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Whereas the accession of Sweden into NATO awaits final 

ratification by Hungary and Turkiye; 

Whereas NATO— 

(1) leads operations in Kosovo and other countries 

in the Mediterranean region to maintain peace and stability; 

(2) supports operations around the world, including 

in Europe and the African Union, to advance priorities 

of the Alliance; and 

(3) facilitates a training mission in Iraq to develop 

the capacity of the security infrastructure of Iraq; 

Whereas, since the further invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation on February 24, 2022, which followed 

the illegal annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation in 2014, the Alliance is the strongest and most 

united it has ever been; 

Whereas, as the Russian Federation illegally attacks the sovereignty of Ukraine, individual members of the Alliance 

have contributed essential military and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine, including through the Ukraine Defense Contact Group established by the United States; 

Whereas, in response to the brutal war on Ukraine by the 

Russian Federation, NATO enhanced its presence on the 

eastern flank of the Alliance by reinforcing existing multinational battlegroups and establishing new multinational battlegroups in Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania, 

and Slovakia; 

Whereas efforts by NATO to bolster the security of the eastern flank and to counter aggression by the Russian Federation followed efforts in 2016 by establishing NATO 


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•SRES 251 IS 

forward presences in the northeast and southeast of the 

Alliance; 

Whereas the Alliance recognizes the strategic importance of 

the Black Sea region, which the Russian Federation has 

tried to weaponize, including by attempting to block shipments of grain from Ukraine through the Black Sea, 

bringing the world to the brink of a global food security 

crisis; 

Whereas, for the first time in history, the 2022 NATO Strategic Concept recognized that the stated ambitions and 

coercive policies of the People’s Republic of China challenge the interests of the Alliance; 

Whereas the Alliance recognizes that deepening ties between 

the People’s Republic of China and the Russian Federation have resulted in immediate and long-term challenges 

to the rules-based international world order; 

Whereas NATO is prepared to respond to existing and 

emerging threats to transatlantic security; 

Whereas Vilnius, Lithuania, will host the 2023 NATO Summit following the 700-year jubilee of the city on January 

25, 2023; 

Whereas the 2023 NATO Summit will highlight the leadership of the Baltic States in NATO and as supporters of 

democratic values globally; 

Whereas Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania are among the top 

5 per capita contributors of assistance to Ukraine; 

Whereas, despite continued belligerence by the Russian Federation, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania have welcomed 

exiled opposition leaders from the Republic of Belarus 

and the Russian Federation; 


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Whereas the choice of Vilnius as the location for the 2023 

NATO Summit underscores the Baltic States as vital 

NATO members and further demonstrates the strength 

of the Alliance; and 

Whereas the 2023 NATO Summit is an opportunity to build 

upon the work of previous summits to continue strengthening the Alliance and pave the way for new NATO 

member countries that can join in upholding democratic 

values: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) reaffirms that, for 74 years, the unity and 

3 strength of North Atlantic Treaty Organization 

4 (commonly known as ‘‘NATO’’ and the ‘‘Alliance’’) 

5 has contributed to peace and stability in Europe and 

6 around the world; 

7 (2) celebrates that the 2023 NATO Summit 

8 will be held in Vilnius, Lithuania, on July 11 and 

9 12, 2023; 

10 (3) acknowledges individuals around the world 

11 who have served in NATO missions and operations 

12 since the Alliance was founded; 

13 (4) supports the sovereignty of all nations to 

14 decide whether to pursue membership to the Alli15 ance; 

16 (5) urges Hungary and Turkiye to ratify the 

17 accession of Sweden to NATO without further delay; 


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1 (6) recognizes that Sweden would bring new 

2 and unique capabilities to NATO, which would en3 able the Alliance to respond to existing and emerg4 ing threats to transatlantic security; 

5 (7) encourages the Alliance to operationalize 

6 the 2022 Strategic Concept, including by countering 

7 the aggressive and coercive behavior exhibited by the 

8 People’s Republic of China; 

9 (8) expresses support for the decision of NATO 

10 to open an office in Tokyo, Japan, to address pacing 

11 challenges to transatlantic security in the Indo-Pa12 cific Region; 

13 (9) asserts that NATO members should con14 sider the commitment to spend 2 percent of Gross 

15 Domestic Product as the lowest percent contribution 

16 to ensure the sustainability, resilience, and readiness 

17 of the Alliance; 

18 (10) emphasizes that the Alliance should con19 tinue to support Ukraine as it fights for freedom, 

20 sovereignty, and territorial integrity; and 

21 (11) reaffirms the commitment of the United 

22 States to meet obligations as a member of the North 

23 Atlantic Treaty, done at Washington, DC, April 4, 

24 1949. 

Æ 


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